Offseason Thread

[scottcarman]

I thought we could not just sign someone because we are over the cap. Just because you are under the luxury tax doesn't mean that you can just go sign someone for whatever you want under the luxury tax.

I believe that the Nuggets can be involved in Sign and Trades as long as they stay under the luxury tax apron (aprox 4 mil above lux tax or about 76 million). The team that they trade with must also be below the lux tax apron which rules out or complicates sign and trades to brooklynn, LA, etc. This could potentially be useful in Brewer/Mozgov/Iggy trades.

We should also be able to off the full MLE to a free agent. Draft picks. And then trades. But we already have a mostly full roster so I don't see a ton of change...

PG: Lawson, Miller, Stone - Everyone knows we will eventually need a backup PG. I don't like Miller because I don't think he fits well with Iggy playing the same position. It's not a good fit for the Nuggets that neither the starting or backup SG can shoot very well. It's oxymoronic.

SG: Iggy, Fournier, Hamilton - I hope we resign Iggy for around 4/44. Can Fournier grow into Dre Miller's replacement? Can Hamilton get out of Karl's doghouse?

SF: Gallo, Brewer, QMiller, (Chandler, Iggy) - Gallo's out for the year, Brewer can be used in a sign and trade or may just leave outright. Iggy and Chandler are probably best suited for SF, but are versatile enough to play other positions as well. I see the Nuggets pursuing Korver in free agency, they will offer the full MLE, but will also entertain sign and trades for Mozgov/Brewer if that works out better. Ideally the Nuggets add Korver, lose Brewer, and fill in with Iggy/Chandler until Gallo is back.

PF: Faried, Chandler, AR - This is one of the highest group of value contracts in the NBA. Faried gives above average PF production on a rookie contract and Chandler also plays above average as a sixth man on only 6 Mil.

C: Koufos, McGee, Mozgov - I'm not a fan of McGee. I'd love to trade him. Koufos is a very high value contract and I don't see the Nuggets trading him unless it's for a great player. I think Mozgov is a serviceable backup but hasn't recieved very much opportunity. If the Nuggets can resign him for 4 Mil then I do it in a heartbeat.

Overall - I see the Nuggets heavily going after Korver, but they really are hoping to exchange 4 quarters for a dollar. If there are any elite players that come available then the Nuggets have a load of valuable contracts. I don't kid myself and don't plan on CP, or Dwight coming to the Nuggets, but are there other players that might become available in trade?
It's a long shot, but Rose's situation in Chicago seems odd. Could he be available? Maybe Lawson, Iggy, McGee for Rose/Boozer.
Love has had a tenous relationship in Minnesota. Possibly Faried, Koufos, Chandler for Love. You have to give a lot to get talent.

LMA may want out of Portland. Perhaps Gallo/Faried/1st for LMA

How desperate are the Nets and would they trade Lopez?

[torotoe]

How realistic is this trade?

Faried, Chandler, Randolph, 1st for LaMarcus Aldridge

Lawson/Miller/Stone
Fournier/Hamilton
Iguoadla/Q.Miller/Gallo
LMA/
Javale/KK/

Ideal 4q line up: Ty, Iguodala, Gallo, LMA + one of Fournier, Hamilton, Javale, KK, and miller too as long as he is on the team (because GK).

This gets really interesting if Denver can manage to sign an elite shooter like Korver. Ty, Korver, Iguodala, Gallo, LMA. For the start of the season Gallo's place in the 4q line up could be replaced with Fournier, KK or JaVale.

Lillard/FA
Batum/Barton/Clever
Chandler/Wes/Pavolivic
Faried/Randolph/Jefferies
(Pekovic- max deal)/Leonard/Freeland

That team looks pretty good. Would they be better with LaMarcus? Quite possibly, but I'm not so sure. Chandler+Batum would be insane defensively, the whole starting 5 is offensively competent except for faried who makes up for it with his rebounding. That team has true depth, wes is an ideal 6th man.

If that aint enough, what about: Chandler, Faried, Koufos, Randolph for LMA.
I know that seems irresponsible to give away three high value, low salary players, but they will be due for raises soon. Faried and Koufos together will make 3-4 times what they do now. Chandler isn't due for a while, but he might get a few million more on his next deal. It would sting to lose Chandler.

[pickIBL]

IDK enough about the Blazers thinking to know if Aldridge is available. But if they are open to a deal I'd be all for it as long as Gallo, Faried, and Lawson are protected. My philosophy is that we need to keep those guys. Plenty of other assets to offer up that makes us very competitive trade-wise with other teams. If the Blazers are looking to move him that is... only once they decide he is available... if they really aren't ready to move him... then they'll want way too much.

[The Rebel]

The more I think about things and look at the roster and some of the other young teams around the league the more I realize this team is in trouble next year. Without Gallo this team is a 5-7 seed even with Igoudala, without Igoudala I see them struggling to get into the 8th seed, without huge jumps by some of the young players and some improvements on the bench. So I would go with the step back and try to turn it into a benefit long term.

Draft a young bigman project or overseas prospect.
Personally I would Miller for a Darren Collisen sign and trade, giving the Nuggets a young backup PG that can hit the 3 and likes to run.
Then I would try to convince Igoudala to go with a sign and trade, creating a TPE even if the Nuggets had to take back an expiring contract (Pistons fans seem to think Dumars is going to overpay for a guy like Iggy, if the Nuggets can get a sign and trade taking back Villanueva).
then use that TPE to go get a guy like Courtney Lee who Boston seems to be unhappy with since he is not Ray Allen.
Resign Stone for the minimum.
If you do not get a good young big resign Mozgov.

Leaves the Nuggets with
Lawson/ Collison/ Stone
Fournier/ Lee
Chandler/ Hamilton/ Q. Miller (Gallo)
Faried/ Villanueva/ Randolph
McGee/ koufos/ Mozgov or rookie

Gives the Nuggets time to develop some of the young guys, gives them money to spend next year, and keeps basically the same core they have in place.

[pickIBL]

Yep with Gallo out and Iggy opting out it is hard to see the Nuggets contend and also hard to see them lose enough games to get a nice lotto pick. That's why I'm fine with Iggy gone... fine unloading Dre and McGee as well. If things go south we still wont get a high lotto pick (cuz tons of teams will tank). But maybe we get lucky and Super Mario or Exum are available when we draft in 14. But I doubt it. Figure we are a middle of the road team

[LongLiveIverson]

Would you guys consider Iggy and Faried for Klay Thompson and David Lee plus a first rounder

[The Rebel]

Would you guys consider Iggy and Faried for Klay Thompson and David Lee plus a first rounder

I would

[The Rebel]

Raptors coming after Ujiri.
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/22 ... -Candidate

[eathb_au]

I'd about give up on the Nuggets if we lose Masai.

[The Rebel]

The only reason the Nuggets would lose Ujiri is that they decide not to spend the money to keep him. Ujiri is one of the lowest paid GMs in the league, and I would say not signing him to an extension already is a huge mistake, now they are going to have to give him market value. Why Karl gets extended prior to the final year of his deal every time, and the GM never gets an extension prior to his deal expiring blows my mind.

[torotoe]

The only reason the Nuggets would lose Ujiri is that they decide not to spend the money to keep him. Ujiri is one of the lowest paid GMs in the league, and I would say not signing him to an extension already is a huge mistake, now they are going to have to give him market value. Why Karl gets extended prior to the final year of his deal every time, and the GM never gets an extension prior to his deal expiring blows my mind.

That's an interesting assumption you make. Who says the organization did not try and extend him? Masai is savvy and he knows a free agent almost always gets more. He also knew that he would be a top flight free agent as far as executives go.

[The Rebel]

The only reason the Nuggets would lose Ujiri is that they decide not to spend the money to keep him. Ujiri is one of the lowest paid GMs in the league, and I would say not signing him to an extension already is a huge mistake, now they are going to have to give him market value. Why Karl gets extended prior to the final year of his deal every time, and the GM never gets an extension prior to his deal expiring blows my mind.

That's an interesting assumption you make. Who says the organization did not try and extend him? Masai is savvy and he knows a free agent almost always gets more. He also knew that he would be a top flight free agent as far as executives go.

Maybe they did try to extend him, however the Nuggets and Kroenkes have a long history of being cheap with front office personnel. It is one of the reasons they never had a true head of basketball operations prior to Ujiri with the 3 headed monster, Kiki was always one of the lowest paid GMs in the league, as Ujiri has long been.

Here is a tweet from Zach Lowe

Zach Lowe ‏@ZachLowe_NBA 18 May

Denver would be wise to lock up Masai Ujiri, but franchise has never been known for high (or even average) exec salaries.

Everybody wants to bitch about Karl, and I understand and think he should be fired, but do people realize that karl is payed less then the average NBA head coach? Everything I can find says Karl's contract pays him $3 million a year, meanwhile the average NBA head coach makes just under $4 million. You want to know part of the reason that Karl has not been fired, I personally think the fact that the Nuggets know they will have a hard time getting a better coach for that type of money is a very hard thing to do.

It amazes me how much of a pass Nuggets fans always give the Kroenkes, fact is they are known for being extremely cheap with the Arsenal and Avalanche, the Nuggets despite having a team constantly in the playoffs have made many moves over the years to cut payroll and/or avoid the luxury tax, yet nobody ever talks about the fact that they do not like to lose money on the team. While it has been several years ago, the insider that used to post here and on other boards admitted as much a few years ago, and now it looks like they do not want to pay Ujiri a fair market value. Personally I am tired of looking the other way while the owners stay cheap and people continue to give them a pass.

[RRFB]

What owner does "like to lose money on their team"? Seriously. I'm going to be pissed if we don't bring back Ujiri but until that happens, I don't agree with calling the Kroenkes cheap.

Other than Masai who exactly do you want the Nuggets to spend on? Last time we handed out a max contract to a free agent, it ended up crippling the franchise for years and probably played a role in losing our franchise player. Our owners have paid well into the luxury tax in the past and it's not like Kroenke is short on money (Stan is one of the wealthiest owners in the league and his wife is the heiress to Walmart for **** sake). As a young, semi-rebuilding team, having cap flexibility is probably the most important asset you can have, especially under this new CBA. The extensions we've given to Nene, Afflalo, Gallinari, Lawson, and McGee in just the last two years prove that Kroenke is willing to spend. If there's a move that can be made that management believes will turn us into contenders, I really believe ownership will go for it regardless of the cost.

If you want to talk about cheap owners in this town, let's talk about the Monforts.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Is there a chance that DEN goes back to Warkentein, if Ujiri becomes too pricey for them? I've read that Warkentein is pretty tight with George Karl.

[The Rebel]

What owner does "like to lose money on their team"? Seriously. I'm going to be pissed if we don't bring back Ujiri but until that happens, I don't agree with calling the Kroenkes cheap.

Other than Masai who exactly do you want the Nuggets to spend on? Last time we handed out a max contract to a free agent, it ended up crippling the franchise for years and probably played a role in losing our franchise player. Our owners have paid well into the luxury tax in the past and it's not like Kroenke is short on money (Stan is one of the wealthiest owners in the league and his wife is the heiress to Walmart for **** sake). As a young, semi-rebuilding team, having cap flexibility is probably the most important asset you can have, especially under this new CBA. The extensions we've given to Nene, Afflalo, Gallinari, Lawson, and McGee in just the last two years prove that Kroenke is willing to spend. If there's a move that can be made that management believes will turn us into contenders, I really believe ownership will go for it regardless of the cost.

If you want to talk about cheap owners in this town, let's talk about the Monforts.

How many trades have the Nuggets used to dump talent or picks to lower the payroll? Fact is the Nuggets have paid the luxury tax a total of 3 times for a team that they thought several times was a contender. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 4 deals where money was a huge if not only factor in the reason the Nuggets did the deal. How many rumors do you need to see that teams are after our front office people and think they can get due to the Nuggets not paying them? Why have the Nuggets avoided paying any head coaches even the average head coaches salary. Paying a bunch of starting quality players their market value does not prove an owner is not cheap, especially when they avoid spending big money to get the top talent they need, this has went on for years, and is one of the reasons Melo reportedly wanted out. As for using the Kmart contract, so one contract 9 years ago gives a team a pass on ever signing another one?

The Kroenke's are billionaires, that is a fact, with both Stan and his Wife's money combined they are probably top 3 in the league for wealth, but that means nothing when it comes to whether they are cheap or not. As for the Monfort's I am well aware of their problems spending money, but they are not the owners of a franchise that has been at or below the league minimum for much of the last 3 years, that honor belongs to MR Kroenke with the Avalanche.

[The Rebel]

Is there a chance that DEN goes back to Warkentein, if Ujiri becomes too pricey for them? I've read that Warkentein is pretty tight with George Karl.

The Nuggets ran off Warkentein before they ever even interviewed Ujiri, and reports were that Warkentein was not well liked around the front office. The fact that he is/was close to Karl did not factor into the decision to run him off then, and I doubt it would be a factor now.

[MomaDance]

The Kroenkes are notoriously cheap with all the employees in the Nuggets organization, not just execs.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Is there a chance that DEN goes back to Warkentein, if Ujiri becomes too pricey for them? I've read that Warkentein is pretty tight with George Karl.

The Nuggets ran off Warkentein before they ever even interviewed Ujiri, and reports were that Warkentein was not well liked around the front office. The fact that he is/was close to Karl did not factor into the decision to run him off then, and I doubt it would be a factor now.

Oh okay, was just wondering. I'm thinking Ujiri will re-sign with DEN so long as they are willing to pay what the Raptors will potentially offer him (and I'm reading they will offer him quite a bit to lure him to Toronto).

[RRFB]

How many trades have the Nuggets used to dump talent or picks to lower the payroll? Fact is the Nuggets have paid the luxury tax a total of 3 times for a team that they thought several times was a contender. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 4 deals where money was a huge if not only factor in the reason the Nuggets did the deal. How many rumors do you need to see that teams are after our front office people and think they can get due to the Nuggets not paying them? Why have the Nuggets avoided paying any head coaches even the average head coaches salary. Paying a bunch of starting quality players their market value does not prove an owner is not cheap, especially when they avoid spending big money to get the top talent they need, this has went on for years, and is one of the reasons Melo reportedly wanted out. As for using the Kmart contract, so one contract 9 years ago gives a team a pass on ever signing another one?

The Kroenke's are billionaires, that is a fact, with both Stan and his Wife's money combined they are probably top 3 in the league for wealth, but that means nothing when it comes to whether they are cheap or not. As for the Monfort's I am well aware of their problems spending money, but they are not the owners of a franchise that has been at or below the league minimum for much of the last 3 years, that honor belongs to MR Kroenke with the Avalanche.

I'd agree with you if we had made a bunch bad trades for the sole purpose of dumping salary, but I can't remember any. The only salary dump trades that come to my mind are the Camby and Steven Hunter trades. I don't think anyone here is going to argue that either of those had a negative impact on our ability to win. If anything they did the opposite.

You're making it sound like our front office is constantly turning down top free agents because they're too expensive when that's just not the case. Denver is not exactly a free agent destination, so we're going to have to overpay to get someone good and more often than not, it's not worth it. I'd love to hear some names that you think we could have signed but chose not to because they were too expensive. I'm not saying that the Kmart contract is a reason not to sign top tier free agents, but it's a damn good reason to be extremely cautious and avoid spending just for the sake of spending like you're advocating.

[The Rebel]

How many trades have the Nuggets used to dump talent or picks to lower the payroll? Fact is the Nuggets have paid the luxury tax a total of 3 times for a team that they thought several times was a contender. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 4 deals where money was a huge if not only factor in the reason the Nuggets did the deal. How many rumors do you need to see that teams are after our front office people and think they can get due to the Nuggets not paying them? Why have the Nuggets avoided paying any head coaches even the average head coaches salary. Paying a bunch of starting quality players their market value does not prove an owner is not cheap, especially when they avoid spending big money to get the top talent they need, this has went on for years, and is one of the reasons Melo reportedly wanted out. As for using the Kmart contract, so one contract 9 years ago gives a team a pass on ever signing another one?

The Kroenke's are billionaires, that is a fact, with both Stan and his Wife's money combined they are probably top 3 in the league for wealth, but that means nothing when it comes to whether they are cheap or not. As for the Monfort's I am well aware of their problems spending money, but they are not the owners of a franchise that has been at or below the league minimum for much of the last 3 years, that honor belongs to MR Kroenke with the Avalanche.

I'd agree with you if we had made a bunch bad trades for the sole purpose of dumping salary, but I can't remember any. The only salary dump trades that come to my mind are the Camby and Steven Hunter trades. I don't think anyone here is going to argue that either of those had a negative impact on our ability to win. If anything they did the opposite.

You're making it sound like our front office is constantly turning down top free agents because they're too expensive when that's just not the case. Denver is not exactly a free agent destination, so we're going to have to overpay to get someone good and more often than not, it's not worth it. I'd love to hear some names that you think we could have signed but chose not to because they were too expensive. I'm not saying that the Kmart contract is a reason not to sign top tier free agents, but it's a damn good reason to be extremely cautious and avoid spending just for the sake of spending like you're advocating.

What about Boykins for an expiring steve blake? Remember the Melo deal, the nuggets insisted on getting under the tax on that, while Ujiri pulled it off, fact is there are still rumors that I hear that the only reason the Nuggets went with the Knicks deal is that the Cavs wanted 2 of the 1st round picks from the Nets to get the Nuggets under the tax.

AS for free agents, you are the one that keeps bringing up free agents, name 1 outside of Kmart we really overpaid for.

My point is the Nuggets used draft picks to save money for year, when it came time to rebuild the Nuggets had 1 guy who they drafted in the wings. They had no young talent. Now to save money they are looking at losing the executive of the year, as they do not want to pay him near the top of his profession, which according to voting of other executives he is viewed as the top guy this year. Constantly the Nuggets cut corners, and are always looking to save money, again it is going to bite them in the ass.